Song: Prose & Poetry

My heart is confirmed in its pure Buddhahood.

But a heavy list to starboard
                                      makes me forget
From time to time.
                                      Breath makes a half turn
Downward & divides:
                                      it doesn't add up
2 plus 2 equals 1:      
                                      It's fun, yes, 
But it isn't true, &
I can't love you                 this way.

2.

So what'll I do, when you
                                      are far away
& I'm so blue?
                                      I'll wait.
                                                 & I'll be true someday.

3.

That's all well & good.  But
What happens in the mean time??


Ted Berrigan
In The Early Morning Rain, 1970
                                             

A Sock In The Evening

How I love that the evenings have finally become fair. I sit on the porch, knit a brightly coloured sock and watch the world meander by. It washes away the work day.

Is It Blue/Green or Green/Blue?

The Lonely Tree Shawl may have been the fastest knit in my personal knitting history - just 10 days from cast-on to final blocking. It virtually flew off the needles.  Good thing too. Despite it being mid-June, it is still quite cool and a wrap is often needed. Just this morning I threw my Orchid Thief over my shoulders to take a walk in the park.

I am generally happy with the way Lonely Tree turned out except for one thing. The picot bind off is not entirely a success. Each "picot" bump has a little whole in the middle and looks wobbly. I've done this bind off before so am not sure where I went wrong here. Now, I am well acquainted with the "It's a design feature!" adage.  However, in this case, I really wanted it to look like the edge in  pattern photos so I am a little disappointed. Otherwise, it's just lovely. The colour makes me happy.

Me at 50

Last Friday I turned 50 years old. That damn number has been hanging over my head for months now. I've been obsessing over ageing and all that it brings. I've been fretting about where I am in my life. All my cousins are talking about retiring and here I often feel like I never even got started. No house, no career, no lover. None of the things a a successful woman of a certain age is supposed to have accomplished.

So, what else to do but buy a red dress and throw a dance party? No one was going to do it for me so I did it myself. I got a friend to DJ at my favourite restaurant and I invited everyone I know. I made loot bags from the dollar store and thank you notes on bright pink paper. Twenty-five people came! Some dropped in for a quick hello and others stayed and danced the night away with me. My 20 year old daughter brought her two best childhood friends and they brought their moms and the six of us danced to MC Hammer. Hilarious! My knitting friends gave me yarn and yarn bags and gift certificates for yarn. Other friends bought me drinks. Gave candy and hand crafted jewelry. I was stunned and touched and had such a good time.

So. Here I am at 50. I know that I am lucky. I have an amazing daughter and many wonderful friends. I am healthy enough to dance until 2AM and I still look good in a red dress. Not bad.

Who me, 50?

Make Along Success

Today was the deadline for the EweKnit Summer Top Make Along. I actually finished mine this past weekend.

Of course I couldn't leave the pattern alone and decided on modifications. As written, the cables are supposed to run up the front and the back. I decided I wanted a more simple back so only did the cables on the straps. Then I rather by accident discovered that I like the back worn as front and vice versa. So that is how I shall wear it.
This pattern is from a 2004 issue of Sandra Magazine. Sandra, as I have mentioned before, is a funny one. Often it is so over-the-top but other times, particularly with summer patterns, it gets it just right. Now this pattern had reverse stocking stitch up the middle, a lace bust insert and tassles on the bottom. Leave all that off and follow the instructions? Voila! A lovely top.

It was fun doing this as part of a group project - knitting to a deadline and watching others do the same. Of course, the chance to win a draw prize was quite the incentive. I'll let you know how that goes.

Happy June Knitting

As soon as I saw this Stoddart Family Farm sock yarn at the Frolic I knew it was my Lonely Tree Shawl. I had seen Alex knitting one at knit night and was immediately smitten with this woolly, heavier-than-usual wrap. The pattern calls for worsted weight and 5mm needles. I've always found Stoddart "fingering" to be on the heavy side. I'm knitting it with 4.5 mm needles and getting great results. The green/blue (or blue/green) colour makes me very happy and this wool feels and smells fantastic. I'm enjoying the contrast of spring colours with the cold weather texture and weight of the yarn. The end product should be quite unique.

This wintry shawl is flying off the needles and will be ready just in time for the heat of summer!